Sheet-metal cutting-off machine



K. W. HALLDEN SHEET METAL CUTTING-OFF MACHINE July 17, 1923.

Original Filed May 22.

1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig .1

July 17, 1923. 1,461,898 K. w. HALLDEN SHEET METAL CUTTING-OFF MACHINE Original F iled May 22. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 -K. w. HALLDEN SHEET METAL CUTTING-OFF MACHINE July 17, 1923.

Original Filed My 22.

1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 17, 1923.

K. W. HALLDEN SHEET METAL CUTTING-OFF MACHINE Original Filed May 22. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l X I Jelly iv. rat.

ElHEET-EKE'EAL GUTTING-OFF MACHINE.

Application filed tra 22, rate, serial-no. steam. aenewea October 25, 1922. Serial no. acacia.

at Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-i Metal Cutting-Oil" Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in sheet metal cutting-off machines, and the ob ject of my improvement is to produce a cutting-off machine for use in cutting off sheet metal in prescribed lengths that is automatic in operation, that operates to shear the metal and is also provided with means for straightening the metal, and that is reliable and emcient in use, in that means are provided for obtaining substantial uniformity of length for a particular setting of the machine, and that, furthermore, has means forrobtaimng a relatively large range for the lengths.

In the accompanying drawing V Figure 1- is a side elevation of my improved sheet metal cutting-0F machme Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.

Figure '3 is a rear elevation of the same.

Figure 4 is a view partly in front elevation and partly in section.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of the crank-disk, showing the adjusting key in position for use.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevational view, as viewed from the right side, or reverse side from Fig. 1, of the driving means for the eccentric control device for the mov- I ing shear blade.

Figure 7 is a sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the rack and adjacent parts, (Sheet 3).

Figure 9 is-a view part in section and part in side elevation of the one-way clutch for the driving mechanism. I

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view of the same on the line 10--10 of Fig. 9.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary-sectional view the line 11--11 of Fig. 4, showing the plate for the moving cutter. Figure 12 shows the feed roll shaft and parts mounted thereon. 7 Figure 13-is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale and in part broken away of certain parts shown in Fig. 11, showing one corner of the gate and the adjacent parts.

Figure 14 is a sectional view on the line 14--14= of Fig. 13.

My improved sheet metal cutting-0d ma- .chine comprises a frame 10 that is appreciably elongated that supports adjacent the middle portlon a pair of shearing cutter blades comprising the lower fixed blade 11 andthe upper moving blade 12 thatis operatively supported for movement in a vertical plane, and has at the rear of the said blades feeding and straightening devices comprisin the pairof feedr'olls 18 and 14: adjacent t e'said blades 11 and 12 and a set 15 of straightening rolls immediately to the rear of the said feed rolls l3 and 14:, and is provided with mechanism, driven by the motor 16, for intermittently feeding the stock to the cutter blades and efi'ecting the cutting of the stock during the dwell or period of rest for the feeding devices.

The main shaft 17, positioned substantially so that its axis is in acommon vertical plane with the middle of the plate or gate 18 that supports the moving cutter 12 and the shaft 19 that is operatively housed at the up per end portion of the said gate 18 and serves as the connectin means for operatively connecting the said gate 18 with the said main shaft 17, through the medium of cam devices comprising two-similar earns 20 that are mounted on the said main shaft 17 in spaced relation, as shown in Fig. 4:.

The fixed shear blade 11 is supported from the frame 10 in any desired manner and the opposed and cooperating cutting edges 21 of the two blades 11 and 12 may be slightly inclined, as shown.

The upper moving blade 12 is. secured to the gate "18 in any desired manner and the gate 18 isoperatively housed in a guideway structure 22 of suitable form.

The gate operating mechanism is made of duplex form for positively driving each side of the gate and comprises, accordingly. on each side, a cam housing 23 for cooperating with the cam 20 and having an upward extension 24 that serves as the connecting roe means of apair of bearing devices 29 that are provided at-the upper end portion of the gate structure 18.

The cams 20.are eccentric cams and serve th'rough'the connecting means described-to impart a limited upward and downward movement to the gate 18 when the main shaft .17 is rotated.

The cams 20, mentioned, determine the range of movement; of the ga-te 18, such movement, with a suitable adjustment of withstanding such reciprocating movement as may be eflected by the cams 20 the gate will be adapted to be shifted so as to be out in its position relative of commission \so far as concerns the feature of'bringing the cutting edges 21 into operation. p

That is to say, the gate 18 may be shifted y to the gate operatmeans thatas the gate is moved downing wardly the cutting edges 21'may or may not .be brought into cooperation, depending upon the particular setting of the gate shifting means. 7

Thus, combined with 1 the means are other means, that may be designated as ate shifting or gate setting means. These atter means will now be described. The essential feature thereof is the provision of the intermediate gate supporting portion 28 of the gate shaft 19 in they form of an eccentric, relatively to the adjacent bearing portions27 of the said gate shaft 19, as will be noted from an inspection of Figs. 3 and 4. a

Thus, by rotating the gate shaft 19 the gate 18 will be raised or owered relatively to the gate moving devices for changing the setting of the gate, the eccentricity of the intermediate shaft portion 28 being made such that when the gate is in the raised position the cutting edges 21 will not operate to cut sheet metal that may be interposed therebetween.

Such an arrangement permits of throwmg the cutters out of commission altogether if desired and also. permits of bein combined'with other means, as shown an to be;

i of the described, for increasing" the range machine for the lengths ofs'tock that can be cut automatically.

The gate 18 ispositively guided and positioned vertically and serves to positively po sition .the part 28 of the shaft 19 to which 1t1s connected, and the side parts 27 when changed in position are swung around relatavely to the axis of the intermediate part 28 to cha the vertical relation of the parts.

The lmit for the stock to be cut would generally be about one-eighth of an inch in V thickness, so that I find it easily feasible to gate moving,

outward, .disen ging position centric shaft 19 for changin the range of the machine are convenient y provided at the end of the shaft 19 remote from the handle 30, as shown, and comprise means for r0- tating the said shaft 19 intermittently in one direction, involving the use of a one-way toothed clutch 31 that is mounted on the projecting'end portion 32 ofthe said shaft 19, and supported by a housing 33. Incorporated with the clutch structure 31 is a spring 34 that tends to hold the clutch members in cooperating position and is adapted to yield to permit changing the clutch members to a new position, as is common, the said spring 34 being positioned between a collar 35 that is fixed on the extreme shaft end and the part 36- that 'is slidably mounted on the pro ecting end portion 32 of the shaft 19 and serves as the moving member'of the clutch 31. The part 37 of the clutch 31 is fixedly secured to the shaft 19,

and the opposed faces of the parts 36 and 37 are provided with the teeth 38, as shown in Fig. 4, that are adapted for eifecting one wal y rotation of the shaft 19.

y sliding the part 36 outwardly along the shaft in 0 position to the spring '34,.to' the extent of the depth of the teeth 38, or, other words, disengaging the clutch members 36 and 37, the clutch would be rendered inoperative, the effect being that notwithstanding continued rotation of the movingpart 36 the shaft 19 would not be rotated, and means are provided for permitting of settingv the clutch part 36 in such in the form of the small swinging arm 39 casing 33, and resting no'rma ly on the periphery of the clutch part 36, as shown in Fi 6 and 7-. The clutch part '36-is provi ed. with a radial groove 40 in the periph-c erythat is'normall housed within the hearing 41 for the cluth art 36 that is provided in the outer side w portion 42' of the casivoted to the I ing 33 and is adapted to register with the arm 39 when the part 36 is pulled outwardly and receive the said arm 39 so as to prevent return movement of the clutch part 36.

For driving the sliding clutch member 36 and thereby rotating the shaft 19 when the teeth 38 are .in position of en agement the said clutch member 36 is provided intermediate the groove &0 and the teeth 38 with an integral gear 43 that is adapted to cooperate with the rack 44 that is provided on the upper end portion of the rod 45 and which extends generally in the vertical direction through thecasing 33.

The rod 45 has a limited upward and downward movement and efiects a correspondingly limited rotative to and fro movement of the clutch part 36, and the latter drives the shaft 19 one way only by reason of the form of the teeth 38, which, as has been mentioned, are adapted for driving one way only.

For reciprocating the rod 45 the lower end thereof is connected to the upperend of a bracket arm 46 that has at its lower end a hub portion 47 that is operatively mounted on a crank-pin 48 that is provided on a relatively diminutive ofi-set plate 49 that is mounted in any suitable manneron the opposed end face of the main shaft 17.

As described, means are provided for imparting a positive ro-tative movement of the gate shaft 19 in one direction only to correspond to each rotation of the main shaft 17, and the extent of such movement is determined by the details and dimensions of the intermediate connecting parts. Also, there is one complete, periodic movement of the gate upward anddownward corresponding to each such rotation of the main shaft 17.

Cutting of the sheet metal is edected by the downward movement of the gate.

Whether or not there will be such cutting in a given case depends upon the particular setting of the gatelS that is effected through the medium of the crank-pin 48.

1 find it convenient to construct and arrange the parts so that the cutting of the metal by the blades 11 and 12 will be efi'ected at alternate downward movements of the gate 18, corresponding to every other rotation of the main shaft 17. With this arrangement of the parts, means are provided through the arm 39 and the groove 40 for settting the machine by a proper manipulation of the arm 39 so as to cut 0d the metal into lengths of either one certain dimension or double the said dimension. 1

The shorter lengths will be cut when the clutch 31 is inoperative, a condition which prevails when the short arm 39 is engaged with the'groove 40, as has been described.

When the said short arm 39 is released from the groove 40 the clutch 31 is operative, with the result that, for the particular arrangement and adjustment mentioned, for

each revolution of the crank-pin 48 that gate shaft 19 will be rotatedone-half of a complete revolution, and cutting will be efiected only at alternate movements of the gate, as

mentioned.

By changingthe throw of the crank-pin 48 the relation of the rotation of the gate shaft 19 to the rotation of the main shaft 17 can be changed, so that other than the double relation of the diderent lengths of stock to be out can be obtained.

The main shaft 17 may also be termed the bull-gear shaft because the bull-gear 50 is mounted thereon, being a relatively large gear that is driven through the medium of the intermediate gearing that serves to con nect the mechanism driven by the said main shaft or bull-gear shaft 17 with the motor 16. Such intermediate gearing in the pres: ent instance is arranged to provide a choice of two speeds, .as shown in Fig. 2, the change from one to the other being effected by means of .the clutch 51 provided on the clutch-shaft 52, and which may be shifted from one side to the other to make the de sired connection.

One end of the clutch-shaft 52 overhangs the framelO and on the overhanging portion is mounted the relatively large gear 53 that is driven directly by the gear 54 that is mounted on the shaft of the motor 16.

The body portion of the clutch-shaft 52 extends across the frame structure 10 and the clutch 51 is mounted adjacent the middie of the said body portion and the said body portion is connected to the adjacent countershaft 55 by two sets of gears, as shown. one on each side of the clutch 51, comprising the gearing 56 between the clutch 51 and the gear 53 and the gearing 57 on the other side of the clutch 51. The gearing 56 is composed of a smaller driving gear and a larger driven gear than the gearing 57 and therefore operates for efl'ecting a relatively slower rate of rotation of the countershaft 55 than the gearing 57.

The gearing interconnecting the countershaft 55 and the bull-gear shaft 17 is designated generally by the character 58.

The bull-gear shaft 17 extends through the frame 10, being supported "in suitable bearings 59, as shown in Fig. 4; has at one end the od-set disk 49 already described, that serves as a diminutive crank-disk; and has at the other end a crank-disk 60, on a portion of the shaft 17 that overhangs the frame 10, that serves as the driving means forthe feed rolls 13 and 14 and the straight ening roll structure 15 through the medium of the crank-pin 61 and the connecting rod 62.

roe

' 69 on the upper face that cooperate with a gear 70 that is part of a one-way clutch structure 71 that is mounted on the shaft 72, which serves as the feed roll driving shaft. 7 v

The clutch structure 71 is an adaptation of the roller clutch of well known form,

shown in some detail in Figs. 9 and 10.

As shown, there are four recesses 73 distributed around the periphery of the part 75, which is the inner part of the clutch device proper that cooperate with the oposed enclosing wall 76 of the outer part 7 to form generally V-shaped housings for the roller 78 that is housed in each of the said recesses, and which are backed by spring plungers 79 that tend to force the rfillers 78 into the narrow end portion of t e housing. Thus the rollers 78 are positioned so that they will be actuated to effect a wedging and binding together of the two parts of the clutch for movement in one direction and will be released and permit of relatively free movement of the parts in the reverse direction.

Thus through the medium of the clutch 71 means are provided for positively driving the. feed roll driving shaft 72 in one direction and in cooperation with such driving means there is provided a friction device for preventing reverse movement of the said shaft 72 inthe form of a drum 80, Fig. 1, mounted on the shaft 72 and an adjustable friction.arm-81-,for cooperating therewith. The said friction arm 81 is secured by one end to the frame 10 by meansof the screw. 82, extends across the drum 80, and at the.

other end is engaged with an adjusting screw 83 that operates to' control the-amount of pressure involved in the frictional engagement of the arm and the drum.

' The driving gear 84 that is mounted on the shaft 72 I prefer to operatively connect with the said shaft/through the medium of a safety friction clutch 85"of any proper form that is adapted to yield funder abnormal conditions and thereby prevent rupture of the mechanism.

The driving gear v84: meshes-with the. gear 85 that is mounted on-the-gear countershaft 86 through the clutch 87, as shownin Fig. i 3, which permits of connecting and disconnecting the. feed rollers and the straightening rollers, which rollers are connected to the countershaft 86 by a set of gears that is designated generally by the character 89.

The table 88 shown at thelrear end portion of the upper part of the structure shows the elevation at which the "sheet metal is delivered to the machine.

Themetal is passed between the straighteningroller device 15, consisting, as shown, of a set of five rollers, and is entered between the two feed rollers 13 and 14, positioned one above the other.

In use, the feedrollers serve to draw the sheet metal through the straightening de- Y vice 15 and deliver the same to the cutters. I claim as my invention 1. A cuttingeoif machine for sheet metal comprising a frame, feed rolls'and a cuttergate supported by the said frame, a bulls ear shaft and a counter-shaft supported y the said frame, mechanism interconnecting the said bull-gear shaft and gate for effecting a reciprocating movement of said gate, gearing interconnecting said counter shaft and rolls, means for driving said countershaft from said bull-gear shaft comprising a one-way clutch, and retarding means on the said countershaft, said retarding means operating in opposition to said driving means under driving conditions and serving to check reverse movement of the claim 1 and auxiliary means for co-operat ing with the moving meansv interconnecting the said shaft and gate for changing the operative relation of the said shaft and gate.

4. A power driven cutting-off machine for sheet metal comprising a cutter-gate sup porting a cutter and having a reciprocating movement, feed rolls having intermittent rotative movement, and common driving means for said gate and rolls, and the supporting means-for the. cutter being operatively connected to said driving means so thatunder operating conditions the position of the cutterrelatively to the gatewill be varied within prescribed limits.

7 5. In a cutting-off -machine' for sheet metal, a cutter supported by a cutter-gate, feed rollsfor feeding. sheet metal to the said cutter, a shaft operatively connected to the.

said rolls, retardlng means-ffor checking rotation of the said shaft, drivingmeans for driving thesa'id shaft, and a one-way clutch intermediate the said driving means and shaft. 1e 1 6. In a cutting-oil machine for sheet metal, a cutter supporting gate adapted for reciprocating ,movement; connecting rod mechanism for operating the said gate,

means interconnecting the said mechanism and gate comprising a gate shaft, and the part of the said gate shaft connected to the mechanism being in eccentric relation to the part thereof connected to the gate, whereby the relative longitudinal relation can be changed by rotating the gate shaft.

tem

7.1n a cutting-oft machine for sheet metal, feeding and cutting mechanism for intermittently feeding and cutting sheet metal and having agate ,for supporting a 5 cutter-blade, a main eccentric device for driving the said gate, and a second eccentric structure for positioning the said gate relatively to the said main eccentric device.

8. In combination in a cutting-ofi' machine 1 for sheet metal, a frame, a driving shaft, a

gate supported by the said frame, guided for the said eccentrics and operatively connected by their upper ends with said gate, and an auxiliary shaft serving as means for interconnecting said rods and gate, said rods and gate having bearings for cooperating each 20 with a part of said auxiliary shaft.

KARL- WILLIAM HALLDEN. 

